“She has upper and lower ringbone in her left rear hoof and now she has gotten a wind puff in her right rear leg.”…
I have a 13 year paint mare. She has upper and lower ringbone in her left rear hoof and now she has gotten a wind puff in her right rear leg. The vet has told me to put her on 6 weeks of stall rest but do to her ringbone he just wants to rest in her in pasture. A lot of people have told me to put her out as a pasure pet. Is there any hope for her? She has given me a great colt about 5 months ago. She is such a great girl is there anything I can do so I can ride agin?
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Holly,
I am not sure how lame the mare is. Some horses can tolerate ringbone pretty well without lameness. If it is within the joint then the lameness is much more serious and will usually not get better unless the pastern joint actually fuses. High heel and dubbed off toe in the affected foot will help in a faster break over and can alleviate some of the lameness in ringbone. Continue to follow your Veterinarians recommendations and it is possible that she will improve and can be ridden again. I hope this helps and good luck
I bought a six-year-old QH gelding off a slaughter truck at an auction a month ago. He has two protusions on each side of his neck, just above the shoulder blade. My chiropractor says this is common of horses who pull back when tied, which this horse does. After the first adjustment, one of the protusions was hot to the touch for a while. Now, after two adjustments, both have been reduced and I can get the horse to flex his neck both ways. What other treatments might help this gelding be free of pain and become a useful citizen again?
Sharon,
Without doing a personal exam on your horse, I cannot be certain what was creating the lumps. I suspect some vertebral malalignment coupled with sore muscles, which would likely respond to chiropractic adjustment. Some anti-inflammatories (like Bute or Banamine) may help with the immediate soreness after treatment. As far as long-term treatment and prevention, good nutrition comes first, and all else builds on that. Chiropractic adjustments often need to be repeated to help “train” the body to assume that new position and maintain it. These are not indefinite, but for a limited time (variable). Your veterinarian is your best source to advise you of anything else appropriate.
Hope this helps.
Kimberly A Gryl DVM